Raj Thackeray Alleges Rs 18 Crore Donations 'Stolen' From Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple Annually
Thackeray said a trust letter claims Rs 18 crore is stolen from the temple each year and accused officials of ignoring the alleged losses.
- On Saturday, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray alleged that Rs 18 crore is siphoned off annually from Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple, citing a letter sent to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
- After trustees caught employees stealing from donation boxes, weekly collections at the Siddhivinayak Temple surged from less than Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore, prompting Thackeray's public allegations.
- Responding to the allegations, Siddhivinayak Temple Trust chairman Sada Sarvankar confirmed nine employees were arrested, stating "We have filed cases wherever required" and noting the temple's annual income reached Rs 182 crore in fiscal 2025-26.
- Thackeray demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi address the issue, arguing that even places of worship are no longer immune to corruption and claiming the alleged theft represents about 10% of the temple's FY2026 revenue.
- These allegations parallel an ongoing investigation into the alleged theft of Rs 1,400 crore at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, where police have made arrests but officials have remained silent on primary theft estimates.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Raj Thackeray alleges Rs 18 crore donations 'stolen' from Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple annually
Raj Thackeray alleged significant theft of donations at Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple. He also claimed substantial funds were stolen from the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Nine employees were arrested in connection with the Siddhivinayak Temple donation theft. The temple trust chairman stated income has significantly increased recently. Investigations are ongoing for alleged theft at the Ram Temple.
Rs 18 crore stolen yearly: Raj Thackeray alleges Siddhivinayak donations theft
Raj Thackeray alleged major donation thefts at Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple and Ayodhya's Ram Temple. His remarks have sharpened attention on temple finances, arrests and demands for accountability.
₹18 crore donations 'stolen' annually from Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple: MNS chief Raj Thackeray
MNS chief Raj Thackeray said the temple's weekly earnings from donations were less than ₹50 lakh before this theft was caught, and afterwards the collection rose to ₹1.5 crore.
Raj Thackeray Alleges Rs 18 Crore Annual Donation Theft At Siddhivinayak Temple
<p>Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday alleged that donations of Rs 18 crore were being siphoned off every year at Mumbai's famous Siddhivinayak Temple. He also claimed that Rs 1,400 crore had been stolen from the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.</p> <p>Speaking at an event organised by the MNS student wing, Thackeray said even places of worship were no longer immune to corruption and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to …
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